Looking for Ideas!

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theislandfolk
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Looking for Ideas!

Post by theislandfolk »

Hi everyone,

We are two friends who are thinking about buying a float plane and try to make some extra cash while time building. One of us just got CPL with around 25 hour float training and the other one has 100 hour and working on his CPL. We both want to be float pilots therefore we want to build time on floats. We are looking at planes around 40-45k. We are wondering if we can make some cash with our plane without a lot of paperwork, for example charters or flight training wouldn't be an option since they require a lot of paperwork and probably money. Do you guys have any ideas? We were thinking about things like transporting some sort of cargo or buying fresh oysters from far places and selling them in Vancouver. We are willing to hard work and open to any ideas.

Thanks a lot!
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ahramin
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by ahramin »

Nice thinking with the oysters. I used to fly kelp samples from Bamfield to Vancouver. Unfortunately even if you don't fly people you still need an OC and all the attendant paperword:
700.02 (1) No person shall operate an air transport service unless the person holds and complies with the provisions of an air operator certificate that authorizes the person to operate that service.
air transport service means a commercial air service that is operated for the purpose of transporting persons, personal belongings, baggage, goods or cargo in an aircraft between two points;
You can pretty much sum it up by saying if you want to make money carrying something with an airplane, you need an OC.
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NunavutPA-12
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by NunavutPA-12 »

Although ... I think it's okay to fly your own goods and re-sell them elsewhere.

e.g.; you have a 'plane, you fly to your wholesaler, pick up your stock, come home and sell it in your store. Or to the guy who owns the store.

I think the seafood idea would be legal, but maybe not profitable.
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theislandfolk
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by theislandfolk »

Thank you so much for all the comments. Very informative!
NunavutPA-12 wrote:Although ... I think it's okay to fly your own goods and re-sell them elsewhere.

e.g.; you have a 'plane, you fly to your wholesaler, pick up your stock, come home and sell it in your store. Or to the guy who owns the store.

I think the seafood idea would be legal, but maybe not profitable.
That's exactly what we were thinking :) I don't see why that would be illegal. The question is can we make money by doing that?

Hoping that someone here has done something like this or heard about it and can tell us the key to become rich :)
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ahramin
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by ahramin »

Uh ... do you know anything about the BC seafood industry? Sounds like a good way to lose your shirt. I can't think of anything fished in BC that is time sensitive enough to profit from being delivered in 2 hours instead of 10.

Maybe if you knew of a secret lake somewhere that had truffles growing nearby.

But I suppose it's possible. I would start from the demand side. Hang outside the fancy restaurants and see what gets delivered fresh and find out where it comes from, how it gets there and how much it costs. Try to talk to some star chefs and find out if there is any produce they are looking for that would benefit from being delivered a few hours sooner. Maybe Sashimi grade Salmon and Tuna picked up from the boat. They could float it over to you in calm seas.
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Rowdy
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by Rowdy »

The coast is unforgiving and you'll quickly end up in over your head if you're trying to pick up from boats or other places for on demand customers. Boat transfers are not the brightest idea for the inexperienced. I've done my share and unless it's calm (rarity) it's a hassle for even the experienced. You'll also see huge resistance from the local operators if they find out you're essentially running a chisel charter service for any kind of remuneration. While it is a nice idea.. I explored similar avenues myself over 10 years ago. In the end it was not worth it. Two words. Money pit.

45k doesn't get you much in terms of a floatplane. (A private 180 is over 100k on floats) Save your cash, go east to MB or ON, fly a season or two to build some experience (while being paid) and then explore the options out west, if that is indeed what you want to do. There is quickly becoming a shortage in this country and continent of new seaplane pilots...
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dash8dave
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by dash8dave »

No OC required for this type of operation. They are flying their airplane with their own goods in it, is like driving to the local harbour, picking up the fish and driving home to sell it to the neighbourhood. Now, if they were transport it for someone else thats a different story, then an OC would be required.
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theislandfolk
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by theislandfolk »

Thanks a lot guys!

I think I agree with the idea of first finding out if there is demand for this kind of thing before we put all of our money into it. Looks like we need to get out there and talk to people first.

I will keep you guys posted!

Thanks again.
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ahramin
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by ahramin »

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theislandfolk
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by theislandfolk »

It's definitely something to look into. I also agree that it would probably be pretty tough to get stuff from a boat in open waters. But what if I fly over these fishing boats or big vessel and drop some goods for these fisherman. I could be a phone call away and in an hour they can get their needs. Just an idea :) Probably it's very illegal. :wink:
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NunavutPA-12
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by NunavutPA-12 »

Reminds me (a little) of the days when I was a radio op/weather observer at Contwoyto Lake. The old Argus would fly over and, in Sonobuoy tubes, they'd drop same-day Vancouver newspapers, Playboy magazines and oranges into the lake.

(The oranges didn't survive, and spawned jokes about the ruined photos in the magazines :oops: )

The crew offered to drop us west-coast seafood in exchange for Arctic Char but we couldn't figure out how to get the goods up to the Argus!
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xsbank
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by xsbank »

The only way you will make money with a floatplane is...you won't. Costs will eat your lunch. Plan on writing off the maintenance, repairs, insurance etc.etc. and hope to recover some of your equity in the airframe when you get tired of hauling fish or other things that will damage the interior. Also, don't expect to get your cash back for ages as airplanes are probably the least liquid place you could ever put your money. Years, maybe.

The main problem is that you will not learn to fly a floatplane well without mentoring. Just flying it around, if you survive, will not make you a better pilot. There is a reason that every floatplane company worth its name has a lounge in the back, where the pilots meet to talk. Just like a safety meeting without beer (shudder).

Go get a job, unless you have tons of money to afford at least a 180. That might be the only plane where you might be able to sell it fairly quickly. Look into a prop overhaul or a jug change, float repairs when you hit your first log, wingtip damage when you whack that first piling, replacing the battery on an ELT. Radio repairs. How about the cost of a gas at 14+ gallons an hour?

This is why low-timers have a tough road when they are trying to talk someone into hiring them.

I think I need to go lie down.
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theislandfolk
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by theislandfolk »

xsbank wrote:I think I need to go lie down.
I feel like that too after thinking about these things for hours :)

This is exactly why I wanted to post our idea here on this forum. Hearing your guys opinions is priceless!! Even though it's a little sad to see that none of our ideas don't sound like they'll work but I am still learning a lot. That's what matters at the end.

Thanks a lot to everyone for their comments.
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BGH
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by BGH »

Back in 1983 I couldn't rent a 180/185 for any price because I had that newly minted float endorsement with the dripping ink.
My dad being an ame found me a 185 & I bought it.After a very good checkout I made a deal with my dad - you wrench & I will fly you anywhere you want to go fishing & we'll share the gas.my dad cut his teeth in the otters & I have at least one picture of him changing an engine on the shore not far from Hay River.He taught me more than any other instructor ever did.
I flew high,hot,mountain,high winds,coast & all the other crap to keep me alive.
I ended up not flying for a living but 33 years later still own that same 185.
I was 23 when I bought it,never saw good enough numbers to make any money on floats with it.

Daryl
C-FBGH
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Keppen
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by Keppen »

I believe aerial inspection and photography without carrying any passengers or people to do the job is legal. As long as you dont hire anybody.
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PilotDAR
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Re: Looking for Ideas!

Post by PilotDAR »

I believe aerial inspection and photography without carrying any passengers or people to do the job is legal. As long as you dont hire anybody.
But, of course, check the CARs rather than depend upon the belief expressed in a post on the internet....
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